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American Juniors Try to Repeat Defeat of Canada

Mark Blinch/ReutersErik Gudbranson and Team Canada have earned 11 of a possible 12 points and lost only one game so far in this year’s world junior championship, a 6-5 shootout loss to Sweden.

BUFFALO — It’s going to feel like last year’s Olympic final again, another hockey showdown in a growing series of them between the United States and Canada, when their two junior teams clash tonight at HSBC Arena in the semifinal of the world junior tournament.

The rink here will be packed for the 7 p.m. faceoff, with roughly two thirds of the fans supporting Team Canada and one third supporting Team USA.

“It’ll be loud and red, I guess,” said Keith Allain, the United States coach.

The Canadians will be out to avenge their overtime loss to the Americans in last year’s final at Saskatoon, which snapped Canada’s string of junior championships at five.

“It’s been a long wait,” said Ryan Bourque of the United States. “It’s going to be a war, a battle. That’s the most fun for you as an athlete, to play in these types of games in these types of events. I think for our two countries to go at it, it’s almost more than just a game. The rivalry speaks for itself.”
The tale of the tape between the two countries in 2010: Canada beat the United States in the men’s and women’s Olympic finals, as well as in the women’s Under-18 final.

The United States beat Canada in the men’s world junior final, won the men’s Under-17 world tournament by beating Ontario in the final, and won the men’s Under-18 championship without even facing Canada in the final.

“At this stage of the game I would say at most levels of hockey in Canada and the U.S. appear to be near the top of the pack, so it’s exciting for everyone involved,” said Allain, whose pronunciation of the word against (he says a-gaynst) betrays his own background.

“My dad was born in Canada,” Allain said. “It’s a fun rivalry. They’re our closest neighbors. It’s always good to test yourself against people that are perceived to be the best. That’s why we’re in this business.”

The Americans or Canadians will play in the tournament final on Jan. 5 against the winner of today’s 3:30 p.m. game between Sweden and Russia.

The Canadian news media, which treats the world juniors as hockey’s biggest annual event outside of the N.H.L., has referred to Team Canada as underdogs at this tournament. Bourque says that is something of a stretch.

“For them to say they’re the underdogs, I think it’s hard to be underdogs when you have 15 first-round picks on your team,” said Bourque, a 5-foot-9 forward and Rangers draft choice now playing for the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec major junior league. “Look what they’ve done in the past six years, winning five of the last six. It’s tough to say you’re an underdog with that.”

Allain, who is also the coach of No. 1-ranked Yale, has been applauded for his tactical approach to the game. Under his direction the Americans have taken 11 of a possible 12 points at this tournament, their only blemish an opening-night overtime win over Finland, which earned them 2 points instead of 3.

But they have hardly been overwhelming. They beat Finland in overtime, 3-2; Slovakia by 6-1; Germany by 4-0; and Switzerland by only 2-1. In four games, no American player has more than two goals, and the top scorer is forward Charlie Coyle of Boston University with six points.

The Canadians, meanwhile, have rolled up some big scores in also compiling 11 of a possible 12 points. They have fat, tournament-leading stats, led by forward Brayden Schenn with seven goals and 16 points and defenseman Ryan Ellis with two goals and nine points.

But the Canadians missed out on first place in their group when they lost on New Year’s Eve to Sweden, 6-5, in a shootout. That meant they’d meet the Americans in the semifinal rather than the final.

“It’s going to be crazy, hectic,” said Bourque, one of eight returnees from last year’s gold-medal squad. “Going through it last year in Saskatoon was amazing. We’re going to have a share of Americans in the stands. But to have that much red in the stands for Canada, I mean, you’ve got the border so close, that makes it that much more fun to play.”

“I just want to fast-forward to tonight and get going,” said another American returnee, defenseman John Ramage, who is the team captain. “The whole team is excited.”
Ramage said the amount of support for Canada was irrelevant. “The crowd’s just noise to you — if you’re focused on the game it doesn’t really bother you too much,” he said.
And, of course, there were no Americans in Saskatchewan last January when John Carlson scored the gold-medal goal in overtime. But they will be there tonight at HSBC Arena.

“It’s great to have that fan base here in Buffalo — it’ll be a little more comforting,” Bourque said. “But like I said, our focus will be on the game.”

Bourque turned 20 today.

“I wouldn’t want to celebrate my birthday in any other way than U.S.-Canada,” he said.

Correction: January 3, 2011An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported the number of points Team Canada has earned in the World Junior Championship. It has 10 of 12 possible points, not 11 of 12.

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